Manual contactor with low voltage release



April 18, 1967 L. MOUIS 3,315,190

MANUAL CONTACTOR WITH LOW VOLTAGE RELEASE Filed Dec. 1, 1965 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 jazz/50)? 6 7 lazy/'5 .fiazgz/ls,

1.. MOUIS 3,315,190

MANUAL CONTACTOR WITH LOW VOLTAGE RELEASE April 18, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed D90. 1, 1965 jnzlenfor. 5 %o Jazz 6' April 18, 1967 L. MOUIS I 3,315,190

MANUAL CONTACTOR WITH LOW VOLTAGE RELEASE FiledvDeG. 1, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 3s 50 -27 .fizzxeirfar law's cflaap'e.

mg add; M5.

April 18, 1967 L. MOUIS 3,315,190

MANUAL CONTACTOR WITH LOW VOLTAGE RELEASE wags United States Patent ()fiice 3,315,190 Patented Apr. 18, 1967 3,315,190 MANUAL CONTACTOR WITH LOW VOLTAGE RELEASE Louis Mouis, Aurora, Ill., assignor to Furnas Electric Company, Batavia, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 510,895 8 Claims. (Cl. 335-21) The invention relates to electric switch devices of the contactor type and has reference more particularly to a manual contactor having means for automatically releasing and opening the latched contacts of the switch in the event of a power failure.

In the contactor contemplated by this invention a solenoid is employed and which is energized with the closing of the contacts for closing the electric circuit. Ene-rgization of the solenoid functions to actuate a latching lever into a latched position and accordingly the contacts are held in a closed circuit position by said lever notwithstanding that the operator will have removed his finger from the start button which he depressed for initially closing the contacts. The contacts will remain latched in a circuit closed posit-ion as long as the solenoid remains energized unless the operator should depress the stop button which actuates the latching lever into a release position.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved start and stop switch actuator for controlling electric motors and the like which will be rugged and durable in construction and which will incorporate latching mechanism for holding the contacts in a circuit closed position until released by the operator, or in the event of a power failure when release of the contacts will take place automatically.

Another object of the invention is to provide a manual contactor having latching means actuated by a solenoid and wherein the said solenoid is energized with the closing of the contacts and is de-energized when the contacts are opened or in the event of a power failure.

A more specific object is to provide a manual contactor which will incorporate low voltage release means of simple construction but which will be positive and highly efiicient in operation.

With these and various other objects in view, the invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawings and claims appended thereto.

In the drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the device and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a manual contactor, the same incorporating the solenoid actuated latching and release mechanism of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational view looking from the left toward the right in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view of one side of the manual contactor shown in FIGURE 1 with the parts being illustrated in an open and unlatched position;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation-a1 view similar to FIG- URE 3 but illustrating the parts in a circuit closed and latched position;

FIGURE 5 is an elevation-a1 view of the opposite side of the manual contactor from that as shown in FIGURE 3 and wherein the parts are in an open unl-atched position;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 66 of FIGURE 2 with the parts being illustrated in a circuit closed and latched position;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 7--7 of FIGURE 2 and also showing the parts in a circuit closed and latched position;

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 8--8 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 9 is a plan view of the actuating lever which is actuated directly by the solenoid; and

FIGURE 10 is a plan view of the latching and release lever.

The housing for the manual contactor 10 consists of a top housing part 11 and a bottom housing part 12, the former containing the terminals for connection with the electric circuits and also containing the movable contacts, whereas the bottom housing part contains the solenoid and journals the actuating lever and the latching and release lever. Both top and bottom housing parts 11 and 12 are approximately rectangular in plan and in end and side elevation, and the said parts have interfitting relation on a horizontal line 13 about midway of the height of the housing. The top surface of housing part 11 is stepped to form a central longitudinally extending rib which positions the mounting plate 14. The said rib and top wall of this housing part is also apertured for receiving the start button 15 and the stop button 16. The stepped side portions of the top housing part are each sectioned off into compartments by the vertical rib-s 17 and the space between adjacent ribs is occupied by the terminals 18 and 20 formed of copper or other suitable metal. The terminals are disposed on respective sides of the housing and each terminal is provided with a terminal screw 21. The terminals 18 may be electrically connected to a three phase alternating current supply line, where-as the terminals 20 will be electrically connected to the electric motor or other appliance to be controlled by the contactor. A fourth terminal 22, FIGURE 3, is located on the side of the housing with the terminals 20 and said terminal 22, together with the adjacent terminal 20 are connected by the jumper 23, FIGURE 1. Suitable electrical connection can thus be made to the signal lamp designated in its entirety by the numeral 24. When the contacts are closed and current is flowing in the circuit, the lamp will be lit to indicate this fact to the operator.

The start button 15 extends within the hollow interior of part 12. For this latter purpose the lower end of the start button is curved at as will be evident from FIG- URE 8. At a midway point in the length of the start button, its structure is increased in length to approximately the length of the housing and at this midway location three spaced openings are provided for receivingthree movable contact members such as 26 having a silver contact 27 on their underside at each end. The terminals 18 and 20 are each bent to extend within the housing part 11 and each terminal carries a silver contact 28 and 29, respectively, on its upper surface and which are adapted to be engaged by the movable contact-s 27 for closing the electric circuits. Each movable contact member 26 is backed by a coil spring 30 and the start but-ton is m-anually held in an open circuit elevated position by the coil spring 31. When the start button is depressed the downward movement of the button structure takes place against the tension of spring 31 and the movable contacts 27 upon engaging the stationary contacts 28 and 29 are yieldingly held in engagement by the compression action of coil spring 30.

The depending end of the start button is curved at 25 so as to position the bifurcated end 32 towards the left, FIGURE 8, for conveniently receiving the start lever 33. This lever is best shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 where it will be observed that the lever is slotted at its right hand end and is held in the bifurcated end 32 of the start button by the pin 34. The start button intermediate its length is formed with a bottom bulbous portion 35 and at its left hand end the lever terminates in a specially formed nose portion 36. When the start button is depressed the start lever is rocked clockwise with the bulbous portion 35 providing the pivot for such movement by reason of its contact with the bottom plate 37. This rocking action elevates the nose 36 and permits a latching of the start lever by the latching lever 52 which will now be described.

The latching lever 52 and its associated elements are located adjacent the left end of the housing, FIGURES 3 and 4, and it will be understood that the latching mechanism has operative relation with the stop button 16 and with the start lever 33. The bottom plate 37 provides an upstanding support part 38 which in turn provides the pivot ears 40, the said ears being connected by the pivot pin 41. The actuating lever 42 is journalled by the pivot pin 41 and said lever as shown in FIGURE 9 includes the spaced arms 43 and 44 which are connected by the web 45. Arm 43 at its lower end below the web 45 is pivotally connected at 46 FIGURE 5, to the link 47 which is pivotally joined at 48 to the armature of the solenoid 50. The armature is normally held in an extended position by the coil spring 51 so that energization of the solenoid to retract the armature takes place against the tension of said spring.

The pin 41 also journals the latching lever 52, FIG- URE 10, which includes the arm 53 and the connecting web 54. Also, it will be seen that the lever 52 has a horizontal bent end portion 55. The coil spring 56, FIG- URE 2, has encircling relation with the pivot pin 41 and said coil spring has one of its terminal ends bent so as to engage with the latching lever 52. In this manner the latching lever is yieldingly urged in a clockwise direction so as to maintain the bulbous portion 57 against the web 45 of the actuating lever 42. Thus when the actuating lever 42 is oscillated in a counterclockwise direction as in FIGURE 5, the latching lever 52 is positively actuated in the same direction. However, when the actuating lever is oscillated in a clockwise direction, the latching lever is yieldingly moved in the same direction by the coil spring 56. Thus the actuating lever and the latching lever will move in unison and in the same directions, although they are separate elements and have no positive connection one with the other.

The oscillating movements of the latching lever 52 as above described render the lever operative for latching the starting lever 33 as shown in FIGURES 4, 6 and 7. The latching operation is accomplished by energization of the solenoid which occurs when the start button is depressed by the operator to close the electric circuits. In its fully depressed position the start button will have rocked the starting lever 33 into a position as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 4. In this oscillated position of the starting lever the nose 36 thereof is elevated sufficiently so that the bent end 55 of the latching lever will have no difficulty in locating itself under the nose 36. This action takes place with the energization of the solenoid 50, since with energization of the solenoid the actuating lever 42 is withdrawn and the latching lever 52 follows due to the resilient action of the coil spring 56. When the operator releases the start button the said button structure moves upwardly to a limited extent, since it is urged in this direction by the coil spring 31. Upward movement of the same is limited, since the nose 36 will now engage the portion 55 and the start lever is thereupon latched in a start position.

As long as the solenoid 50 remains energized, the start lever will remain latched and the start button will be held in a depressed position as shown in FIGURES 6 and 7. Thus as long as the contacts of the contactor are in a circuit closed position and current is flowing in the circuits, the solenoid will be operative to maintain the parts in status quo. When it is desired to open the electric circuits the operator depresses the stop button 16 and in connection with this button the invention provides novel means for automatically opening the movable contacts in the event of a power failure.

The stop button has a press lit at 57 with a release lever designated in its entirety by numeral 58, FIGURES 6 and 7, and which is bifurcated at its lower end to form the spaced legs 60. The said legs straddle the pin 41 and immediately above the legs the lever is provided with a camming edge 61. The coil spring 62 maintains the release lever in an elevated non-operative position and which is determined by the pin 63 when in engagement with the bottom edge of the housing part 11. In the normal position of the parts, the camming edge 61 is held above the connecting web 54 and the elements are so designed that the camming edge does not interfere in the least with the movements of the latching lever. However, with the start lever 33 latched by lever 52 the operator can easily release the parts by depressing the release lever 53. The camming edge 61 is caused to engage the web 54 and the latching lever is thus oscillated counterclockwise to move the portion 55 from under the nose 36 thereby releasing the start lever 33 and the start button 15. With the release of the start button the contacts automatically open to open the electric circuits.

The releasing action of the latching lever 52 is automatic in the event of a power failure. Should the power fail, the solenoid 50 becomes de-energized and the actuating lever 42 is oscillated in a direction outwardly under the expanding force of the coil spring 51. The latching lever is positively moved in the same direction and as a result, the portion 55 releases its latching engagement with the nose 36 of the start lever.

The solenoid 50 is suitably connected across one of the electric circuits controlled by the contactor and thus the solenoid is energized when the contacts are closed and the solenoid remains de-energized when the contacts are open. The latching of the start button 15 in a circuit closed positiontakes place automatically when the operator depresses the start button. Manual action to open the circuits requires that the operator depress the stop button 16. During operation of the electric motor or other appliance controlled by the present device a safety feature is provided since the circuits are automatically opened in the event of a power failure.

The invention is not to be limited to or by details of construction of the particular embodiment thereof illustrated by the drawings, as various other forms of the device will, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a contactor adapted to be manually actuated, the combination with a housing of insulating material, a pair of stationary contacts fixed to the housing in spaced relation, a movable contact member for engagement with the stationary contacts to close an electric circuit, a start button positioned by the housing for reciprocating movements and carrying the movable contact member, a start .ever actuated by the start button and having oscillating movement as the start button is reciprocated, a latching lever pivotally supported by the housing and having a latched and a release position with the start lever, electric means having actuation when energized to move the latching lever into a latched position with the start lever, and *a stop button also positioned by the housing for reciprocating movements, said stop button when reciproeatetl in one direction effecting release of the latching lever from its latched position and which effects release of the start lever and also the start button.

2. A contactor adapted to be manually actuated as defined by claim 1, wherein the electric means is energized when the movable contact member engages the stationary contacts to close the electric circuit.

3. A contactor adapted to be manually actuated as defined by claim 1, wherein the electric means includes a solenoid and which is energized when the movable contact member engages the stationary contacts to close the electric circuit.

4. A contactor adapted to be manually actuated as defined by claim 1, wherein said stop button has camming action with the latching lever when the button is reciprocated in said one direction for elfecting release of the latching lever.

5. A contactor adapted to be manually actuated as de tfined by claim 1, wherein the electric means includes a solenoid and which is energized when the movable contact member is in engagement with the stationary contacts for closing the electric circuit, and wherein said stop button has camming action with the latching lever when the button is reciprocated in said one direction for eifecting release of the latching lever.

6. In a contactor of the manually actuated type, the combination with a housing of insulating material, terminals fixed to the housing and providing a pair of stationary contacts in spaced relation, a movable con-tact member for engagement with the stationary contacts to close an electric circuit, a start button positioned by the housing for reciprocating movements in a longitudinal direction and carrying the movable contact member, a start lever mounted by the housing for oscillating movement and being pivotally connected to the start button, whereby the start lever is oscillated when the start button is reciprocated, a latching lever pivotally supported by the housing and having a latched and a release position with the start lever, solenoid means connected to the latching lever and having actuation when energized to move the fined by claim 6, wherein the solenoid means is energized when the movable contact member is in engagement with g the stationary contacts for closing the electric circuit.

8. A contactor of the manually actuated type as defined by claim 6, wherein the solenoid means when deenergized has such actuation as to locate the latching lever in a release position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,013,013 9/1935 Valkenburg 31737 2,071,149 2/ 1937 'Wi'lms et al 200144 2,434,096 1/ 1948 Ayers et a1. 335--277 BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Primary Examiner.

H. BROOME, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A CONTACTOR ADAPTED TO BE MANUALLY ACTUATED, THE COMBINATION WITH A HOUSING OF INSULATING MATERIAL, A PAIR OF STATIONARY CONTACTS FIXED TO THE HOUSING IN SPACED RELATION, A MOVABLE CONTACT MEMBER FOR ENGAGING WITH THE STATIONARY CONTACTS TO CLOSE AN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT, A START BUTTON POSITIONED BY THE HOUSING FOR RECIPROCATING MOVEMENTS AND CARRYING THE MOVABLE CONTACT MEMBER, A START LEVER ACTUATED BY THE START BUTTON AND HAVING OSCILLATING MOVEMENT AS THE START BUTTON IS RECIPROCATED, A LATCHING LEVER PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED BY THE HOUSING AND HAVING A LATCHED AND A RELEASE POSITION WITH THE START LEVER, ELECTRIC MEANS HAVING ACTUATION WHEN ENERGIZED TO MOVE THE LATCHING LEVER INTO A LATCHED POSITION WITH THE START LEVER, AND A STOP BUTTON ALSO POSITIONED BY THE HOUSING FOR RECIPROCATING MOVEMENTS, SAID STOP BUTTN WHEN RECIPROCATED IN ONE DIRECTION EFFECTING RELEASE OF THE LATCHING LEVER FROM ITS LATCHED POSITION AND WHICH EFFECTS RELEASE OF THE START LEVER AND ALSO THE START BUTTON. 